Pondering the Poinsettia

Introduction:

Poinsettias know by their scientific name as Euphorbia plucherima are just one sign of the holiday season, but to our industry they are a very important greenhouse crop. In this lesson we will explore the history, misconceptions, and cultural requirements of poinsettias in our introductory activity. We will also address the business decisions needed to produce a profitable poinsettia season.

Information –

You will be visiting several sites to research poinsettias. The links listed below will be used for this activity. They have been evaluated, and contain accurate and current information. It is important to visit all sites.

Poinsettia Links:

www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia/links.html The Poinsettia Pages, University of Illinois Extension.

www.poinsettiatrial.org Website for the National Poinsettia Cultivar Trials

http://www.ecke.com/html/h_corp/corp_pntcare.html#poison Paul Ecke Ranch

www.seedsofknowledge.com/poisonflwers.html List of Commonly Found poisonous flowers.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1248.html Ohio State University, Extension Fact Sheet on Poinsettias

http://www.fischerusa.com//pdfs/trend.pdf Poinsettia Trends

Activities:

Using the information from the website above complete the activities below. Your instructor will indicate which activity is appropriate for your grade level. Be sure to visit all sites to develop a strong understanding of the material.

Activity #1 (introduction ninth grade activity) Developing Background Information:

The poinsettia is native to this country. _______________

Who introduced the poinsettia to the United States?_____________________ (This question was actually used on Jeopardy!)

When does the poinsettia bloom in its native country?

What specific cultural requirements must be applied to get the poinsettia to bloom for the holiday season in Maryland?

What color are the actual flowers of the poinsettia? ______________________

Activity #2 (data interpretation 10-12 grade) Business Applications activity:

You are the garden center manager for a local super-retail center. You are planning you displays and orders for the coming holiday season. Using the information provided by the Poinsettia trends website develop departmental recommendations. You should be able to extrapolate three recommendations for display locations, marketing ideas, and poinsettia purchasing.

Activity #3 (hypothetical development 10-12 grade) Social Science activity:

It has been established that poinsettias are not poisonous, but as we saw in the lesson the myth or “old wives’ tale” persists in popular culture. Warnings are still produced in information for parents and pet owners. You are to write your own explanation for this perpetuation of false information. Use a paragraph format. In this response incorporate the lesson you have learned in sociology, liability discussion, pesticides and any other material you feel will enhance your response. The response must be plausible, and you can include a creative story of a poinsettia “poisoning” if you would like.